The Pain

About a week and a half ago my thigh started to hurt. I figured it was just soreness from running more than I had been, or running on the treadmill, which, I was previously unaccustomed to. So, I started stretching more and better. That seemed to help for awhile, and then it didn't as much.

Last Sunday I took a day off to recover, and then I took Monday off too, hoping that would help it. Tuesday when I went back out, and as soon as I started to run it hurt again. So, Tuesday night, I went and got a foam roller and stretched it out on that. It felt so much better. Until I ran again on Wednesday. Thursday, I took off again. Friday, my first running step, it was like an explosion of pain. So, I just stopped, and walked home.

Usually I can only feel it when I'm running, or right after I've finished. What's weird is, I can't seem to pinpoint it. Sometimes I think it's my quad, sometimes my groin. Sometimes it radiates to my knee, sometimes up to my hip. It feels deep and sharp. If I sit on a counter of something with my legs dangling, it causes pretty intense pain. The other day, I sort of twisted on it to grab something, and I thought my leg was just going to break it hurt so bad. I've tried ice, heat, icy/hot, rest, elevation. I've been running on flat surfaces because someone told me that would help a quad injury. At this point I'm frustrated, I don't want to continue to run on it if it's going to get worse, but I don't want to take off for very long either. I feel like I get out of shape SO fast. Anyone out there dealt with anything like this before? Any tips or pointers? Should I go see a Dr?